Culture
Slavko Avsenik
A True Legend, or One of Many?
05.02.2010
An innovative accordion master, who invented contemporary Slovenian country music, and made it appealing to the rest of the world, turns eighty.
Slavko Avsenik is the most renowned accordion player and composer of popular folk music in Slovenia. Many of the younger generation don’t revere him, as he was in the past. Nowadays, many people see this type of music as somewhat kitschy, so it seems prudent to ask ourselves how important this man really was. Was he just one of the many accordion players emerging at the time or was there something special about him and the other musicians around him?
Rise to fame
Slavko Avsenik was born in Begunje near Bled. In 1953, he formed Ansambel bratov Avsenik, which became famous throughout most of Europe, especially in Slovenia and most German-speaking countries. In 1960, the band signed a contract with a major European record company, after which their popularity rocketed.
They played thousands of concerts in many countries, most notably Germany, Austria, USA and Canada. They have sold over 30 million records worldwide and their music is embedded in the soul of many Slovenian people and is considered part of our heritage. Not only that, Slovene emigrants from USA, Canada, Australia and other countries think very highly of their music and if they’ve heard any bit of Slovene music, it’s most likely something penned by Slavko Avsenik.
It’s astounding to see how their popularity rose outside Slovenia. Slavko Avsenik and his fellow musicians were often featured on German, Austrian and Swiss television and several of their songs were translated into German as well, or at least the titles, perhaps most notably Na Golici (known as “Trompeten Echo” or “Trumpet Echo”).
The music
It’s difficult to say with certainty where the appeal of this band of musicians lies, but it might have to do with their exploration of the Oberkrainer style, of which Slavko Avsenik was a pioneer. These well-crafted, yet carefree songs with simple but refined melodies and light themes have eased their way into the hearts of millions.
Over the years, Slavko Avsenik became a national symbol, an ambassador of Slovene music, and he attracted some of the most renowned names in Slovene entertainment as a result. Thus he was able to get the great pop singer Alfi Nipič into their midst and he did the same with trumpet player and humorist Franc Košir.
No matter what fate brought, the music always stayed the same and true to its roots, with great hooks and memorable lines. The line-up was also quite consistent with accordion, brass section, guitar and vocals. Slavko Avsenik always managed to compose music that became instantly successful, spawning many eternal hits.
Crossover appeal and artistic integrity
Slavko Avsenik’s music is now such a significant part of the Slovene tradition that it is no longer considered just popular folk music, a style which is often frowned upon, but it has a lot of crossover appeal to fans of jazz, rock, classical and even metal. This has to do with very solid compositions and arrangements, which have stood the test of time. Perhaps many young people don’t see his significance, but in this age of turbo folk, his music stands out more so than ever before compared to the instant music of newer “erotic” acts like Atomik Harmonik, Turbo Angels and the likes. The music of Slavko Avsenik was real, albeit simplistic and light-hearted, but there was a great deal of craftsmanship involved in the making of this music. The music didn’t to be “sexed up” to be appealing – it spoke on its own accord and had its own merits.
Whatever people may think of the music of Ansambel bratov Avsenik nowadays, one thing is certain: Slavko Avsenik and many of his successors raised the appeal of this music, which was considered to be “peasant music” and so people of all classes, from towns, cities and villages enjoyed it. They put Slovene traditional music back into the hearts of the people. Slavko Avsenik is also one of the main reasons why accordions were selling so well during the years when their fame was at its greatest.
Musical legacy
Sadly, Slavko Avsenik is nowadays no longer in the limelight as much as he used to be, but this is to be expected of a man who has turned 80. However, his musical legacy lives on in his son, Slavko Avsenik, Jr. , who didn’t really follow in his father’s footsteps, but studied jazz piano and has collaborated with the likes of Laibach, played in some jazz ensembles, composed soundtracks and music for the theatre among other activities.
Slavko Avsenik’s legacy lives on then. We must not forget that the man is a national treasure and comes to us from a time when ethno pop wasn’t a dirty word. Not many artists have been able to contribute as much to the preservation of Slovene national heritage and culture as Slavko Avsenik and his music and –for that alone – he deserves our respect. It’s difficult to find another performer of popular folk music who is able to compose such light-hearted yet unobtrusive music. Slavko Avsenik is indeed one of a kind.